


Between the Lines

by ElanneH



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Lawyer Hux, Light Angst, M/M, Misunderstandings, Multi, Oblivious Poe Dameron, POV Poe Dameron, Pilot Poe Dameron, Pining, Poe is very good at lying to himself, Slow Burn, Threesome - F/M/M, background finnlo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-08
Updated: 2018-01-15
Packaged: 2019-01-31 03:18:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12667158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElanneH/pseuds/ElanneH
Summary: Poe Dameron wants just one thing - to get a few hours of sleep, which is easier said then done when his two British neighbors won't stop screaming at each other. Why do they hate him so much? (Or do they?)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [celeste9](https://archiveofourown.org/users/celeste9/gifts).



> Alright, so I am aware that this OT3 is not the fan favorite, hell not even ships in this OT3 aren't fan favorites - I'd be actually suprised if someone knew all their shipnames. However, this is sort of passion project of mine, I had this idea on my mind for a while and finally got around to execute it. This is the longest thing I've ever written and I'm nervous but excited to share it.
> 
> The fic is about 80% done, I'm just writing last chapter, so you will get full fic no matter what. I'll be uploading chapter in each 3-4 days. 
> 
> Many, many, many thanks to my wonderful beta [serceleste](http://serceleste.tumblr.com/), who listened to my whining for months and had saint-like patience with my garbage grammar. It's readable because of her, trust me.

Poe was going to kill someone soon. He thought he had a pretty decent defense ready, Your Honor, I was tired, the Brits did not shut up. Decent. It’s not like anyone could blame him, he was sure any sane human being would understand his murdering tendencies: he just flew back from Sydney for the fifth time this week. It was Saturday morning, he was tired as hell and surely he deserved some peace.

_“You ruined my plants, asshole!”_

_“How dare you speak to me like that?! I tripped! Your pots are all over the hallway! Do you even know how dangerous is it? It’s against every building regulation! It’s a safety hazard!”_

_“You are a safety hazard, Gingerbread!”_

Jesus Christ.

Poe rolled on his back, clamping his pillow over his head. Maybe he would suffocate and then there would be quiet. On the nightstand his phone started vibrating. Groaning Poe pushed away the pillow and with bleary eyes answered the phone: “You suck, I hate you and I hope you’ll burn your butt.”

“Wow, okay, good morning to you too, sunshine,” Finn laughed, because of course he did, because he was on a well-deserved vacation in Aruba with Poe’s former roommate, Kylo. Finn laughed because he had moved to nice quiet neighborhood with his boyfriend, leaving Poe all alone in his apartment between Rey’s and Hux’s.

You see, it’s not like when Finn lived with Rey and Kylo lived with Poe, that situation was ideal. Finn was always able to talk Rey out of killing anyone in the building and Kylo and Hux just usually growled at each other like rival Alphas in their own pissing contest. They had well established status quo and it was just fine. Now however there was no one that would make Rey eggs and bacon in the morning so she wasn’t cranky. There wasn’t anyone that would threaten Hux over the balcony during his morning smoke that their landlord with hear about this. There was just Poe who would be forced to get up from the bed after nine hours long flight and 2 hours on and between airports.

“Don’t you sunshine me, Finn, this is all your fault.” Poe lifted the phone in the air and let Finn listen to the ongoing fight that had been going on for the last 20 minutes in the hallway.

_“It’s not even a real plant, IT’S A CACTUS!”_

Poe dropped his hand. “I hope you’re happy with yourself.”

“How is Hux stepping into a succulent my fault?”

“You left me here with them and went to Aruba with your boyfriend, which part isn’t clear enough to you?”

“Sounds like it was a master plan on my side,“ he heard another wave of warm laughter through the line. In love people were obnoxious. “Anyway I was just checking if you’re still alive, you haven’t picked up your phone for like 2 days.”

“Yeah, still alive, man,” Poe sighed. “Jessika got sick so I took her shifts this week, Sydney-New York and back again, but I’m off this weekend.”

“Okay, just don’t overdo it, Poe.”

“Do I ever?”

“Kylo told me stories about how you fainted once because you forgot to eat in between your flights.” Poe sighed. Kylo was next on his ‘to kill’ list. “Look, maybe this is a good thing? At least you’ll spend some quality time with your neighbors. Get to know them better? You and Rey never got a chance to get close when I was around and Hux is… he is Hux. He means well.”

“Sure he does,” the snort escaped Poe unintentionally. “Alright, I gotta go to separate the two beasts so I can get some sleep in this century.”

“Take care, Poe.”

“You too, Finn. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t.”

“You did have wild animalistic sex with Kylo so…” Poe shuddered and hung up the phone.

He and Kylo were deep past. Like teenagers deep past. Things between them were complicated and got more complicated as they grew older and eventually they realized they were better off as friends. When they reached to that verdict suddenly they were able to spend time together without either fucking or killing each other. And after Poe left the army and needed a place to stay Kylo offered being roommates without a second thought.

_“You put them there on purpose! It was a trap!”_

_“Are you kidding me right now?!”_

With no other choice Poe got up. He didn’t bother with a bathrobe or combing his hair, maybe if they saw how dead he was they’d shut up and let him sleep.

He opened the door. They stood awfully close to each other, Hux’s shoulders hunched so he was on Rey’s level, their noses practically touching. Poe coughed.

That got their attention, they both whipped their faces towards him. The girl looked more surprised than anything else, her jaw dropped, eyes went wide. She moved away from the redhead. Hux straightened up, eyeing him from head to toe, cheeks flushing, probably wondering how he and his Armani suits could live next to people like Poe and Rey.

“Okay, look guys, could you tone it down? I haven’t slept in like two days, I can’t listen to this shit right now. Rey, just put that cactus next to my door so Hux won’t break his legs over it. Problem solved, I’m going back to bed. Have a good day.”

Poe shut the door right in front of their faces. There was a slight chance it would be one of them who would do the killing and he would be the dead body.

 

*

 

When Poe woke up again the sun was already setting down. He silently cursed himself for ruining his sleeping schedule this much and went found something to eat. Cereals were breakfast and dinner food, right?

He stepped outside with the bowl in his hands, chewing, he looked left and right, looking at his neighbors balconies. Rey’s was full of dozens different flowers and plants. Green everywhere and anywhere, in the middle of all that she had a comfy chair, with a blanket thrown over it, the scene appeared straight from some how-to-make-home magazine, just ready for her to sit with her favorite mug of coffee.

Glancing on the other side, to Hux’s, it couldn’t look more different: a single plain black chair with an ashtray next to it and even that was clean like never used. Which Poe knew, after a year living next door, wasn’t true.

There was a knock on the door. When Poe opened it, it was his time to be shocked. Rey was standing there with a box of Mariano’s pizza in her hands and apologetic smile. Poe nearly dropped the cereals he was still holding.

“Hey, I saw you outside and, well, you were eating this, “she cleared her throat, gesturing towards the bowl. “I figured you didn’t have a chance to do any shopping yet so I ordered some pizza if you’re interested? As an apology for earlier.”

There was something so earnest about her, Poe couldn’t help himself but let her in. In more than one way if he was being honest with himself. He wordlessly gestured towards the kitchen island.

“I’m really sorry for all that noise in the morning. If I knew you were sleeping I’d have assassinated him silently, now you’re a witness so you need to go too.”

Poe laughed at her absolutely stern face, who knew Rey Jakkuson was a comedian as well as university student and motor engines designer. “It’s fine, you do what you have to do.”

“Really? No fighting back? I must say I’m disappointed with you, Mr. Dameron.”

Poe shrugged. “I would kinda deserve it. Turns out that sleep deprived and hungry I am a real jerk. I owe you an apology for that and to Hux too. I’m sorry, Rey.”

“I wouldn’t take it that far,“ the girl grinned like cat with a bowl of milk, and opened the pizza box. “And Hux deserves no apologies whatsoever. He is basically the devil incarnate.”

“Yeah, well, he is a lawyer.”

“Exactly. Scum of the Earth.”

Together they made the pizza disappear in record time. It turned out that Rey was a very pleasant companion. They had never hung out before minus a few movie nights with Kylo and Finn, but even then Finn was too considerate to fool around with Kylo in front of them and he always spread his attention to all of them equally. Describing Kylo as considerate would be ridiculous but Poe was his ex-boyfriend and Rey his cousin so there was always something to talk about.

They opened two beers, which coincidentally were the only things that were in Poe’s fridge aside of last drops of milk, and that earned him a dirty look from Rey, complaining that she promised Finn to keep an eye on him and like this he’d soon starve to death.

“Is that why you’re here?” Poe asked when he finished his bottle. “Because Finn sent you? I am a grown up man, Rey, and while it’s touching that Finn cares, I can function on my own.”

Rey put down her beer, suddenly looking uncomfortable. “Partially. Yeah, I promised Finn to check on you from time to time but also…”

Poe was confused. “Also what?”

“Finn was my roommate. Even when he started dating Kylo he was still coming back home but now he moved out and I just…“ she shrugged. “The apartment is so empty now. Quiet. Kylo is gone too and even though he isn’t my favorite relative, at least we went to the gym together every Tuesday. You’re out all the time, the only person who I see at least semi- often is, tragically, Hux. I guess I’m just lonely.”

“What about your friends from Uni?” She met his eyes and suddenly he understood. He never saw any other people coming or leaving Rey’s place. The brunette worked from home, designing engines part-time while she studied at one of the Ivy League schools. She was so ahead of everyone that all she needed to do was pass tests. For some reason it never occurred to him that Finn, Kylo and possibly Poe were her only friends.

“You know, I get it.“ She was honest and he decided to do the same. “Why do you think I keep taking extra shifts? Flying New York-Paris and back is not as posh as it sounds.”

Rey looked at him quizzically.

“I miss them too. I got tired coming back to an empty apartment. It’s easier to not think about that when you’re focused not to crash the plane full of people.” Something like kinship passed between them and for a moment they sat in comfortable silence. Poe watched her finish the beer and idly marveled how long her eyelashes were. He put the pizza box in the trash, along with two, now empty, bottles. He really needed to do some shopping but looking at the clock, it was almost nine. He would need to make it till morning.

“It’s late, I’ll head out.” Rey got up from her stool and gestured towards the door.

“Thanks for the pizza and for the company.” Poe held the door open for her. “I’m glad you came.”

“So cheesy, Poe.” She walked away laughing at his expense and he caught himself thinking that he didn’t mind in slightest.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so here we go with chapter 2! I bet you didn't see this coming haha. No but really I want to apologize for keeping you guys waiting, unfortunately life happened and got sucked in (so much for "next chapter coming in few days") but yeah - this fic is still on, it's my baby, I do have every intention to finish it.
> 
> In this chapter Poe gets even more confused and oblivious, finaly interacts with Hux who is smug, self-cenric and oddly hot asshole (as he always is)... and then something "unexpected" happens as well :)
> 
> As usual, 100000x thanks to [serceleste](http://serceleste.tumblr.com/) who is my amazing beta and who made this readable. She is amazing, go check out her fics.

Next morning, Poe came back from shopping with two stuffed bags full of nothing else but food. He had another insanely busy week coming and knew that if he would be lucky to sleep in his own bed and not a hotel room in Paris, Sydney or Rio, he wouldn‘t have any thoughts for buying stuff at all.

With Finn and Kylo still on vacation, Jess being sick and Snap, the happily married traitor, spending quality time with his family, he had nothing to do but go to the pub on his own, hoping to find some company, or catch up with Game of Thrones on Netflix. Poe chose the latter.

After Daenerys flying behind the wall to save Jon, Poe finally got bored waiting for when those two would fuck, turned off the TV and pulled out baking ingredients. He was the first to admit that he was a shitty cook, all those myths about Latinos being master chefs were just that – myths. But baking was something close to his heart. His mother always let him help her make bread, cupcakes or whatever was in order. Shara Bey died over ten years ago but Poe kept baking by her recipes.

He made ‘the best brownies in New York’ and stared at the finished product. Normally Kylo would eat half of what he made, the rest he would pack and bring for Finn and Rey. There was no way he could eat this alone. Biting his lower lip, Poe nodded to himself, apology dessert it was.

Poe picked the best looking ones from the middle and carefully laid them on a plastic tray, put the foil over and scribbled a simple apology which he attached to it. He didn’t know if Hux had a sweet tooth and even if he did this probably wasn’t up to his standards. Mr. Armani suit seemed more like a crème brûlée kind of guy but Poe was trying, even if this was about to end up in the bin, no one could accuse him of putting in no effort.

He put the brownies in front of Hux’s door and hoped that he wouldn’t step into them when coming out. Poe imagined himself in Rey’s place, Hux yelling about how he set up a trap on him, but eventually he shrugged it off. Effort, it was all about effort, right?

On the other hand, Rey opened her door with a smile on her face. Like she was happy to see him. Poe felt an inexplicable giddiness but quickly shut it down.

“Are you in a mood for some brownies and Game of Thrones?”

“Do you even have to ask?” she grabbed her phone and jumper before he could even react to her sudden yes. “Lead the way, Poe.”

 

*

 

Monday was insane. Tuesday was even worse. On Wednesday, just above the Caribbean Sea, he absently wondered if Hux ate his brownies or if he indeed put them in the trash the moment he found them. Maybe he gave the tray to Rey so she could return it to him when he came back. She would give him one of her sunshine smiles, maybe they could go out this time…

“Earth to Dameron!”

Poe blinked. “What?”

“I’ve been talking to you for the last 10 minutes,” his co-pilot Paige Tico was giving him a knowing look. He didn’t like that at all. “You obviously didn’t hear anything from what I just said. Are you in love?”

_Absurd._

“No!” Poe scowled at her. “You’re worse than Snap and Jess altogether. Just because I’m not dating anyone that doesn’t mean I’m desperate to. Check out the met conditions again, will you?”

What a ridiculous assumption. He didn’t look at Rey like that, sure she was beautiful, anyone with eyes could see that, but she was too young for him and anyway, they were just friends. He needed friends in his life, not lovers. Poe knew his good looks, he spent more time in front of the mirror taking care of his hair than he would like to admit, and he was an airline pilot – if he wanted a quick fuck or even a relationship he would get it. Poe didn’t want that. His schedule was insane, he was glad he was functioning on basic human levels, and when the need came he jerked off in his morning showers. It was enough for him.

 

*

 

 

It was Friday, or at least he thought, time zones were a bitch. He woke up way too soon with a growling stomach and a killer headache but at least he was in his own bed. The timer on his nightstand was showing 5am when he decided to take a shower, knowing that he wouldn’t fall back to sleep anytime soon.

He texted Finn, made himself breakfast, replied to old emails and then just mindlessly wandered around the apartment not knowing what to do. He wasn’t one for being bored, some people would describe him as restless, personally he preferred pro-active.

“Good morning, Captain Dameron. You’re up early.”

He jumped out, not expecting Hux staring at him over the balcony rail, with his morning cigarette between his fingers. The tone hinted that spooking him out was something he intended, Poe didn’t know how he felt about that. He blinked at the other man and then realized Hux probably wanted some kind of answer.

“I, yeah, morning,” Poe watched the as the ginger took another drag - something Poe would never admit but that he thought was really hot. He absently licked his lips. “I just got back from London. Time zones, you know, I barely know what day it is. You’re up early too?”

Poe mentally eye rolled. What the hell was that? Was he nervous?

Nah, it was just early for this shit.

“Like you, I am a busy man, Captain, there is never enough time to waste on such things as sleeping late.“ Hux smirked, clearly satisfied with himself. He looked Poe up and down, over naked feet, plain black sweat pants, green t-shirt until his eyes stopped on a jam stain on the pilot‘s shoulder. Poe bit his lower lip, he was sure Hux was judging him so hard right now, he himself already impeccably dressed in a crisp white shirt and blue trousers. No food stains. Obviously.

“I wanted to apologize,” Poe blurted out.

“Ah, “was all the ginger said before he put out the cigarette and went back to his apartment, leaving Poe even more confused. So much for good-will-brownies, but what else would you expect from the devil incarnate, as Rey would say. He would just sneak back in and wallow in self-pity of not being good enough, not even for his asshole neighbor, when Hux came back, handing Poe his clean, empty tray.

“You ate them?”

Hux brows shot up. “Was I not supposed to?”

“No, no!” he stuttered. “You definitely should’ve. I just, I didn’t know, I didn’t expect…”

Thankfully Hux was either in a hurry or bored with his blabbering because he cut him off. “The brownies were well made, Captain, I quite enjoyed them, well done. I also accept your apology but now I am afraid I have to cut this chat short, I have a business meeting to attend. Have a good day.”

With that the ginger left. Poe stood with the tray in his hands, wondering what just happened. He was forgiven, commended and dismissed in two sentences? Unbelievable. He couldn’t wait to tell Rey all about it.

 

*

 

_“I found red hair in my laundry!”_

_“How is that my problem?!”_

_“You contaminated the washing machine!”_

_“I don’t even use it! You think I would put my shirts into that thing downstairs?! I have my own!”_

Poe really wanted to know why they were so loud. Was it their default setting? He had heard that British people nice and quiet neighbors, which was clearly a lie. Okay, fine, they were nice to him, or at least Rey was but this was absurd. It was going like this for weeks, he couldn’t take it anymore.

“I can’t take this anymore, man!”

Four hours later he sat with Finn in their favorite coffee shop in Brooklyn. He and Kylo had finally come back from Aruba, judging by Finn’s happy, satisfied face, they had the time of their lives. Poe let Finn told him about their adventures, loudly groaning when he teasingly attempted to describe their colorful sex life and then the pilot started ranting about his neighbors.

“It’s like they have no filter, you know? It’s so strange, they can be really nice when they are separate. Rey is so cool, she taught me how to play Battlefront and she brought me some orchids the other day to brighten the place up. And Hux actually held the elevator door for me, when I was coming back with groceries. He even asked me if I would recommend him a restaurant in Vancouver and he looked disappointed when I said that I don’t really know any because I sleep and eat in airport hotels.”

“Why would he need to know a restaurant in Vancouver?”

“I don’t know?” Poe threw up his hands. “Maybe he is going on a business trip. Why does it matter? The point is that they are nice to me and terrible with each other and I’m not getting any sleep!”

Finn stared at him for a good minute as if he was considering him. Whatever was his friend thinking, it wasn’t his fault, Hux and Rey clearly didn’t sit with each at all and Poe wasn’t their babysitter. If anything it was Finn’s fault – he moved out and left no instructions. Yes. Poe bit down on his panini.

“Have you considered that they might be interested?”

Poe spit out his panini.

“In what?!”

“In you,” Finn said gently, like he was talking to a child, and calmly sipped his tea.

Poe gaped at him. So it was official. Finn got some kind of disease in Aruba, he was being delusional, maybe Poe should take him to a doctor. “You are talking nonsense.”

“Am I though?” the other man leaned closer. “When you moved to the building Rey asked me about you. ‘How the fuck is the guy hot and cute at the same time?’ her words, not mine. And every time Hux came over, or just saw you in the hallway, he was watching you like a hawk. It was actually kinda creepy, Kylo noticed too but he just shrugged it off like he always does, saying that you just have that effect on people. I can’t actually disagree. You are you, Poe. People are interested.”

What _the fuck_ was happening?

People are interested? What was that supposed to mean? Yeah, he knew how he looked but that didn’t mean he actually expected people swooning over him. Especially since he didn’t make any kind of effort. He didn’t flirt with either Rey or Hux, he didn’t give them any signals, hell, they didn’t give him any signals. Poe thought they were just friendly because he certainly was just that… wasn’t he? He felt sick. If they argued because they thought they were competition, because Poe was leading them on? He didn’t do that on purpose! Shit.

He picked up his jacket, ignored Finn’s questions if he was alright, and with quick goodbyes he bolted.

 

*

 

 

If Poe was being honest with himself he would say that he spent the next few days moping. He pored over every moment he spent with Rey or Hux, looking for clues if Finn was right or not. Maybe he missed something important: did Hux brush his hand over his, when he held the elevator for him, on purpose? Did Rey play with her hair when she was with him, because she was flirting? And most importantly, would he be interested? And if yes, in which one of them?

Right now any of these questions were hard to answer not just because he came back from Manila and all he wanted to do was sleep but because they were arguing again.

_“Did you spill your coffee on my doormat?!”_

_“Fuck you, Ginger-ale! I didn’t do it on purpose!”_

In that moment Poe’s head was clear. It didn’t matter if they were into him or whatever Finn deluded himself with, they were not going to argue at 2 in the morning, not on Poe’s watch. He was going to tell them to shut the hell up and then he would set up an intervention. Yes, that was a good idea. He would sit them down and explain to them that he was flattered and all but they were never going to happen so would they please stop arguing like five years olds in a sandbox. Friendship. He was going to save their friendship and his sanity with one talk, and hell, maybe they could be friends too.

_“What do you think you’re doing?!”_

The pilot got up from the bed and made his way to the door. He stopped, pausing over abnormal silence. Usually when Rey pulled out ‘ginger-something’ nicknames they really got into it. Poe really hoped they didn’t actually kill each other. He slowly opened the door.

Oh.

That’s why it was quiet.

Rey was squished between the wall and Hux, had her legs wrapped up around the ginger‘s waist and was exchanging a deep kiss with him. Both Brits moaned into each other‘s mouths, clearly unaware of Poe’s presence and too far gone to care about anything that wasn’t them.

Poe closed the door as quietly as he could, going straight to the shower. It was never about him. Hux and Rey had pent up sexual tension which clearly just turned into…sex. He shrugged down his pajamas, stepping under hot stream and took his erection to his hand.

He thought about the way Rey was pulling at Hux’s hair. The moan that escaped him when she did that, the way he grabbed her ass, the filthy grind of her hips against his. He thought about what it would look like if he was between them. Feeling Rey’s hot wetness as he would press to her and how hard would Hux be against his ass. It didn’t take long for Poe to come with a groan.

Fuck.

He was so fucked.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *sweats* Yes, here I am with chapter 3, let me guess, you lost all hope for seeing this... well, I am still determined to finish this fic, even though it will take ages. I'm sorry about that :/
> 
> In this chapter drama arrives, because why not torture Poe a little bit more...
> 
> Many, many thanks to @[reylonite](http://reylonite.tumblr.com/) who beta this chapter *hugs*

It was a natural reaction, Poe told himself, over and over again. He wasn’t a creep. He totally didn’t get off on his neighbors making out. And even if he did, who could blame him? They were two smoking hot people with foreign accents, which most people found sexy. It was fine. He was fine. Everything was fine.

He kept frantically pushing the elevator button as he saw Hux parking his car in front of the building about a minute ago. Damn it. What was going on with this thing? Was someone purposely holding it on the upper floors just to torture him? Okay, he might have been going a bit paranoid but it was always an option.

Poe heard the front door open and quickly ducked into the stairwell door. On foot that is.

So maybe it wasn’t fine. Maybe he had been avoiding Hux and Rey for two weeks now, pretending not to be home when Rey knocked on his door with another Netflix recommendation, hiding behind the door, waiting until Hux left for work just to go for a jog. Maybe he wasn’t fine. Maybe he secretly hoped that Finn was right that at least one of them was interested in him and got deeply disappointed that they weren’t. And so now, Poe a grown man with a solid career, was avoiding seeing the people he didn’t know he wanted until he did but it was too late.  Poe was pretty sure Kylo would describe this as teenage drama. He couldn’t blame him.

Poe was almost on the third floor when his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and picked it up.

“Dad? What’s up?”

 

*

 

It took Poe 3 hours to gather the courage. He tried to come up with different options, with something, anything but the more he thought about it he was sure that he had no choice.

He took a deep breath and knocked on Hux’s door.

The red head opened almost immediately, dressed in black suit as usual with a black coat over his shoulders, clearly heading out. Poe swallowed, staring at plaid patterned scarf hanging loosely around lawyer’s neck. Was that Burberry? Who even wears that?

“I need your help.”

Hux took him in, his raggedy jeans and bags under his eyes.  Poe was sure he couldn’t look worse, especially next to extra polished Hux, who took him by surprise, stepped aside and held the door open for him.

“Of course, come in, Captain Dameron.”

Hux’s apartment was in shades of grey and black, spotless, modern futuristic furniture with one pop of color that was a bright blue sofa in the living room area. Poe couldn’t say if this was a comfortable living environment, but he thought it was perfectly in sync with Hux’s personality. As much as Rey’s place, decorated in earthy colors, plants hanging from every surface and modern technology, matched hers.

“So what is this about?”

“I’m sorry, you obviously have somewhere to be but, I don’t know who else to ask for help. My father was in a car accident. A passenger from the other car got hurt and the other driver claims my dad was drunk, and it was his fault.” Poe shook his head. “I know my father, he almost never drinks and he would never drive drunk. He is a former soldier who received honorable discharge. He would never do this. I talked with my friend at the police and she said it doesn’t look good. He might go to prison. “

He looked up to Hux who was staring down at him with an unreadable expression. Suddenly Poe felt like this was a mistake, and he almost did regret knocking on ginger’s door. However, this was his father, and he was willing to go impossible lengths for him. He had to try.

“He is almost 60, Hux, if he would go to prison…”

“I understand,” Hux interrupted him, shrugging off his coat, ushering Poe further into the apartment. “Please, come in. Would you like a cup of tea? It will calm your nerves and we could go through the details over it. “

“I, I don’t, I’m not sure,“ he hated himself for the stuttering.“You were going out, and I don’t want to delay you...”

“Nonsense.“ Hux dismissed him in a firm manner that didn’t leave much room for argument and started making a fresh pot. “I will need to look at the subpoena and you should start thinking about names of people that would vouch for your father in court, but it probably won’t come to that. Also I will need to talk to your father. Does he live in New York?”

Poe was in awe. He watched the ginger moving swiftly in the kitchen preparing the tea, an oddly domestic image. He didn’t see it coming, this professional but friendly lawyer Hux that gave up his free time to help him out. Poe was attracted to him, that was clear before, but he honestly though it was just because Hux was, well, hot as fuck, not for his winning personality. Now Hux was showing Poe a side he didn’t know he had. The pilot swallowed the lump in his throat when he remembered that it was Rey who Hux was interested in. This was just neighborly kindness.

“Jersey. He lives in Jersey.”

“Well then, “Hux set down an extremely polished tea tray on the table and gestured Poe to sit down. “Let’s get started.”

_

 

What seemed to be ages passed. Poe got all the necessary information and after another cup of tea – which Hux was right, calmed his nerves – they were finally getting somewhere. Hux asked the police to release all records and statements and had a long phone conversation with Kes Dameron, setting up a meeting in his office the next day.

Poe felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. His father was in good hands. Seeing how Hux handled things with practiced precision convinced him that he had made the right choice. It also made his stomach jump every time Hux looked at him or when he watched his lips touching the cup. Poe pushed these thoughts away.

There was a knock on the door and Hux got up from his laptop to get it. Poe heard muffled voices and some shuffling in the hallway. When Rey came into his line of sight, he almost choked on his water (“No more tea, please,” he had told Hux. “It could kill me”).

“Rey?”

He looked her up and down. She was wearing a long green dress with a black leather jacket over it. Her hair wasn’t  in its usual buns but was flowing down with light curls. If he could, Poe would smack himself. This was not happening right now. Holy shit, he was dumb. And sure enough…

“Tage told me we needed to cancel because there is an emergency with your father. I waited before coming here so you have time to work it through but I thought that I could at least offer moral support?” she smiled softly and raised brown package she was holding. “Also I got some cookies from Charlie’s?”

Tage? Was this a thing now? Were they a thing?

Hux came behind her and lightly touched Rey’s waist. Poe couldn’t breathe. There was a spike of jealousy that Poe didn’t know where it came from or whom it was intended for. He didn’t like it. This wasn’t like him. He had to get out of here.

“That’s really nice of you Rey but I really have to go. I mean you had plans and anyway, “ Poe got up, ignored their weak protests that he doesn’t have to go, and headed towards the door. He stopped, not pushing the door handle and forced himself to turn back and look at the happy couple again. “Thank you again, Hux. It means a lot to me and sorry for ruining your night.”

Poe sprinted to his apartment before either one of them could open their mouths.

 

 

*

The silver lining was that due to his father’s troubles, he didn’t really have time to wallow in self-pity. He met Kes at The First Order and co. offices the next morning and assured him that he couldn’t wish for a better lawyer and that everything will be fine. Hux being a total professional didn’t mention anything about Poe’s embarrassing exit last night, merely saying that he was Poe’s friend when Kes asked about how he got his case.

“He is a good looking young man, Poe. If not a little bit uptight.“ Kes turned to him when they were leaving the building with knowing smile on his lips. Poe was glad to see him in better mood but this was not the topic he would pick.

“It’s not like that, Dad.”

“You said the same thing when I asked you about Ben.”

“Kylo,” Poe corrected his father automatically. Ben Solo stopped existing when he changed his name to Kylo Ren at eighteen, just to separate himself from the family legacy. Poe always thought Kylo was being just a bit drama queen, but he loved him so he went with it. “And that was completely different circumstances. Plus Hux has a girlfriend. Trust me, he is not interested.”

“Are you sure about that? He kept looking at you like you were the only person in the room. As a fragile client I was almost offended,” Kes kept pushing with teasing smile.

“Jesus, Dad,” Poe stopped dead in his tracks and stared at his father. Not this again. “You sound like Finn. Hux is interested. Rey is interested. Paige is interested. The random cashier is interested. Why is no one asking if I am interested in any of these people?”

“Well are you?” Kes cocked his head, his eyes suddenly serious.

“Am I what?”

“Interested in Hux?”

He had brought this on himself. Poe knew that and yet he couldn’t answer his father because it wasn’t that simple. He wished it could be that he would hate Hux enough to steal Rey from him. He wished that he had never met Rey, so he could show his interest to Hux. He wished he had acted sooner. He wished Rey and Hux were both interested in him still… but that’s all it was: wishful thinking. It was too late for that. He missed his shot and he will have to deal with it.

“Hux is my friend, dad, or at least I hope he is,“ he said eventually knowing that Kes won’t let this go. “Don’t worry about me, okay? I know you want me to be happy and I am. I promise. You just need to focus on your case now, alright?”

Kes eventually nodded and Poe was relieved. If he was good at something it was prioritizing.

 

-

 

Dealing with it though was easier said than done. He requested shorter flights at work so he could be there for his father, but it also meant he was seeing Hux on practically a daily basis. Poe still managed to avoid Rey which was the only good thing.

Hux still wore the mask of friendly professionalism and politeness when Poe was in his office, and he naturally went back to the time before Finn and Kylo moved out, outside of that. This also meant no chats over the balcony and no holding elevator door, asking how his day was. Rey wasn’t that easy. She tried to corner him at every possible occasion. Poe had to pretend his teeth hurt and that he was running to dentist when he docked her the last time. It couldn’t go on like this forever. And it didn’t.

When he returned from his flight to L.A. he found a piece of paper under his door.

Halloween party at Finn’s this Saturday. Hux and I will take you. Theme is Star Wars. Costume is mandatory and no is not an answer.

Shit.

He ignored Finn’s messages about the Halloween party, so his friend had made a smart move: he recruited Rey. And now Poe will have to spend his Saturday as the third wheel with two happy couples, pretending that everything was just peachy.

He fought the urge to punch into the wall and went to bed thinking about matching Star Wars costumes for groups. Pathetic.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are loved!!!
> 
> You can follow me on my tumblr @[thelastsjedi](http://thelastsjedi.tumblr.com/) or just stop by to say hi and chat about this OT3 or one of other bilion ships I ship :)


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